Type-writing machine.



No. 828,548. PATENTED AUG. 14, 1906.

W. P. HELMOD TD. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1905.

2 SHBETSSHE ET 1.-

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No. 828,548 PATENTE'D AUG. 14,1906,

' W. F. HE'LMONDQ TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 811F120, 1905.

2 SHBETSSHEET 2.

/vyE/v 70/? M51 ATTORNEY UNITED srATns PATENT OrrrOn.

WILLIAM F. HELMOND, OF HART FORD, CONNECTICUT. ASSIGN OR TO UNDERWOOD TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N.-Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TYPE-WRITING MACHlNE- n o. 828,5e8.

Specification of Letters Patent.

application filed September 20, 1906. Serial No. 279,295.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. HELMOND,

,a citizen of the -United States, residing in Hartford, in the county of -Hartford and State-of Connecticut, have invented certain in Type Writnew and useful Improvements following is a ing Machines, of which the specification.

' This invention relates to means for feeding and automatically reversing the inking-ribbons of type-writing and other machines, and its object is to provide a device for this purpose which is simple in construction and reliable in operation, inexpensive to manufacture, and not liable toget out of order.

I illustrate my invention as applied to the well-known Underwood. front-strike writing-machine, in which the spools are mounted in front of the platen and the ribbon is threaded through a carrier which vibrates up and down at the type-strokes to cover and uncover the printing-point. These spools aremounted upon vertical shafts, andl drive the latter by means of a horizontal trans verse shaft, which is shiftable endwise to connect to either spool-shaft. When either spool becomes depleted of ribbon, the shift-. ing'of the driving-shaft is effected automatically. The power foreffecting the shifting is supplied by the driving-shaft itself, upon each end of which I affix a wheel having crown-teeth adapted to be engaged by a I shifter-arm, which is pivoted in such relation to said wheel that when it engages the teeth thereof the Wheel rides upon the arm and is simultaneouslyforced in axial direction by the swinging of the arm, whereby the shaft is shifted. The arm is normally held out of use by a latch, and the latch is releasable by means. of an obstruction placed upon the traveling ribbon.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvements as i applied to an Underwood front strike writingmachine. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of parts seen at Fig. 1.

I Fig. 3 illustrates a position which a shifter-arm may assume when the driving-shaft is being manually turned during the shifting operation. Fig. 4 is a sectional side view of the ribbon mechanism.

The ribbon 1 is threaded through .a vibrator 2 and wound upon spools 4 4, the latter carried by vertical shafts- 5 5 whichare rotated alternately by means of a transverse horizontal shaft 7. On the lower end of the spool-shafts are miter-gears? 9 to'mesh with gears 10 10,fixed upon driving-shaft 7, which is movable endwise to enable either pair of during the type-strokes by means ofa pawl 12 upon the shaft, said reciprocating .pawl hav ing a tooth 14 of suflicient width to accom modate the axial movement of the ratchetwheel as the shaft shifts. The shaft is held at either end of its shifting movement by a yielding detent consisting of a bar or lever 15, pivoted at 16 upon the framework and havby aspring 18 to engage a double-bevel collar 19, fixed upon the shaft 7, an adjustable stop-screw 20 limiting the throw ofthe lever 15. Each vertical spool-shaft 5 passes 22. A compressirm-spring 23, coiled around the lower end of said shaft, bears at its lower end upon the gear 9' and at its upper end upon the hub 21 of said shifter-bar, whereby the shaft, said spring 23 pressingsaid hub against a collar 24,.provided upon the shaft just beneath a fixed bearing 25. Said shifter-arm 22, however, is normally locked-against rotation by means of a latch 26, fitting in a notch 27 in said hub 21. This latch is releasable, being fixed upon the lower end of a vertical rock-shaft 28, which has an arm 29 extending beneath the spool 4 and provided through which the ribbon 1 is threaded. Obstructions. 31 are provided uponthe ribbon near its ends, and one of them will engage said fork and rock the arm 29 and shaft 28 in a direction to withdraw the latch 26 from the notch 27. The latch is shown locked at the right hand and released at the left hand of Figs. 1 and 2.

the shifter-arm 22 is freed from restraint and is caused by the friction-spring 23 to rotate formed upon the free end of said arm, is

I swung into engagement with crown-teeth 33,

rotated by the shaft 7, and when it catches Patented Aug. 14, 1906.

loosely through a hub 21 of a shift bar or arm.

latter is given a tendency to rotate with the at its free end with a ribbon-guiding fork 30,

This wheel is always positively miter-gears to mesh. I Said shaft 7-is rotated I engaging a ratchet-wheel 13, which is fixed ing a double-bevel tooth 17, which is caused In this manner when the ribbon is'nearly all paid 1f from the spool .with the shaft 5. By this means a tooth 32,

the toothed end of the shifter-bar 22 it causes said bar to swing still further upon shaft. 5."

' its will be understood by reference to'Fig. 2',"the wheel 34 and the arm 22 act together togglewisethat is, the wheel rides upon the arm and the tooth 32 'swings in such an arc that the wheel is gradually forcedaway from shaft 5 that is, a direction axially of shaft 7 Wheel 34 and shaft 7 thus shift together until the detent-collar 19 on the shaft is forced over'the point of the-yielding tooth 17, whereupon the reaction of the s ring 18 completes the endwise throw of the s aft and the gears 9 and 10 are brought into mesh and crank 38, provided upon the wheel 13, or a crank 39, fixed up'on the other end ofthe driving-shaft 7. Of course during suchvwind ingthe direction of travel of the ribbon will become reversed in themanner already described, and it may happen that owing to the endwise pressure exertedunintentionall'y by the operator on the driving-shaft 7 the teeth 33 of the shifter-wheel (as-seen at the left of.

Fig. 1) will be prevented from releasing the tooth 32 of the shifter-bar, but instead Will tend to swing said shifter-bar still farther away from its normal position. In order to avoid any difficulty from this source, I provide upon each shifter-bar a heel 40, upon which the crown-teeth 33 may run without becoming locked against rotation, and I provide a stop 41 for preventing any greater overthrow of the shifter-bar, so that the winding of the ribbon will proceed properly notwithstanding the abnormal position in which the shifter-bar is thus unintentionally detained by the operator. At this time it will be seen at Fig. 3 that the shifter-bar or interponent 22 supports the shifter-wheel and shaft against accidental axial movement, or, in other words, locks the gears 10 in the positions to which they have just been shifted. Upon the release of the crank 38 or 39 the spring-detent moves the shaft 7 axially to the left from the Fig. 2 position a triflejust enough to permit the wheel 34 to clear the shifter-bar-and the bar may thereupon be returned to normal position (seen at the right-hand portions of Fig. 1 and 2) by its shaft 5. It will be understood, how ver, that the heel 40 does not come int use jr fien the reversing is effected through the age cy of the devices which mechanically wind the ribbon, nor does the arm 22 swingforwardly uite so far as seen at the left of Fig. 1 since shifting parts at the right-hand side ofFigfr are in normal position. Those atithe 'left brought abnormally a careless action of after its automatic reversal and simultaneously maintaining a manual endwise pressure upon the shaft 7 to prevent the normal end wise shifting movement of the: latter. Ordithe arm 22 swin s forwardly no fart er than seen at the left side of Fig-L 2, wherethe tooth on said arm stands in the same vertical plane mal revers' operationlthe heel or guard 40 performs no notion.

" Having thus-described my invention, I .claim- 1. In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the combination with a shafts, of a transverse riving-shaft movable endwise to connect with either spool-shaft, toothed crown-wheels upon said drivingshaft, normally idle shifter-arms associated withsaid .crownwheels, and means controlled by the longitudinal movem ents of the ribbon for causingsaid shifter-arms alternately to move into engagement with the therewith to reciprocate said driving-shaft.

2. In a ribbon-reversing mechanlsm, the ,combination with a pair of ribbon-spool shafts, of a driving-shaft movable to connect with either spool-shaft, a pair of normally idle shifters, means calledinto action by the longitudinal movement of the ribbon for position, and a pair of devices mounted upon said driving-shaft to be engaged by said shifters so as to actuate-the latter, and so as to be caused by reason of such actuation to're ciprocate said shaft.

' 3. In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the combination with a pair of ribbon spool shafts, of a driving-shaft movable to connect with either spool-shaft, a pair of norm ally idle pivoted shifter-arm s, wheels fixed on said driving-shaft and engageable by said shifter-arms in a manner to effect reciprocation of said-shaft, and means controlled by the longitudinal movements of the ribbon for causing said shifter-arms alternately 'to move into engagement with said wheels.

y 4. In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the combination with a pair of ribbon spool shafts,.of a driving-shaft movable endwise to connect with either spool-shaft, a pair of nor- "mally idle pivoted shifter-arms, a pair of wheels mounted upon said driving-shaft in position to engage and turn said shter-arms and simultaneously ride thereon 7 such a t e spring-tooth 17 snaps overthe crown of the'wheel 19 before the arm 22 uite reachesthe forward posltionat the left 0 Fig.1. The

hand side are in positionsto which th'y are' narily at the automaticreversingo eration.

as the axis of the shaft '7, and during the nor-- the operator in continuing to Wind the ribbon air of ribbon-spool teeth of said crown-wheels and cooperate moving said shifters alternately into effective 1 teams a;

manner; to 'force said. driving-shaft ,endwlse, and means co' ffiolled by the. lo 'tudi- ,nal movements of theribbon for e ecting 'movementof theshifter-arms alternately into engagement, with said ,wheelsl l. i

.,'5. In a ribbon-reversing mechanism,.'the combination with a 1 pair of ribbon --spool shafts,,'of a driving shaft movable endwise to connect witheither. spool-shafh-a pair of nor- 1' o mally idle ivoted shifter-arm's having teeth,

a pair of w eels mounted .upon said dri shaft and havingteeth to "engage the teeth on said shifter arms and turn the latter so that said wheels and shaft are forced in endwise direction, means controlled by the longitudinal movements of the ribbon for efiecting movement of the shifter-arms alternately into engagement with said wheels, and a spring for holding said. driving-shaft at the extremes of its endwise movements.

. 6. In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the combination with a pair of ribbon spool shafts, of a driving-shaft movable endwise to connect with either spool-shaft, a pair of normally idle ivoted' shifter-arms having teeth,

, a pair of W eels mounted upon said drivingshaft and having teeth to engage the teeth on said; shifter-arms and turn the latter so that said wheels and shaft are forced in end- 0 wise direction, means controlled by the longi 1 tudinal movements of the ribbon for effecting movement of the shifter-arms alternately into engagement with said wheels, a spring for holding said driving-shaft at the extremes 3 5 of .its endwise movements; a ratchet-wheel fixed upon said driving-shaft, and a pawl reciprocatedat the key-strokes and having a tooth of sufficient width to engage said ratchet-teeth at all positions of said driving- 10 Shaft.

- 7. In a ribbon-reversmg mechanism, the combination with-a pair ofribbon-spool shafts, of a transverse driving-shaft movable into connection with either spool shaft,

5 wheels 11 on said driving-shaft, a pair ofarms mounte loosely upon said spool-shafts, friction devices between said spool-shafts and said arms whereby the formermay move the latter into engagement with said wheels, the

latter being caused to ride upon said arms'in a manner to shift said driving-shaft, and ribbon-controlled latches normally reventing engagement of said arms withsai wheels.

8. In a ribbon-reversing -mechanism, the

combination with a pairof ribbon sp'ool shafts, of a transverse driving-shaft movable into connection with either spooI-shaft, wheels upon said driving-shaft, a air ,of

shifter-arms mounted'loos'ely upon sai spool- 6o shafts, friction devices between said spoolshafts and said shifter-arms whereby the former may move-the latter into engagement with saidwheels, the latter being caused to ride upon said arms in a manner to shift said 0' 5 driving-shaft,- a pair of rock-shafts, latches iiiredupon rock-shafts my I 2 tiolis'ill t e-path of the ribbon so as to be c erated by the-latter. 1'

'into engagement with said wheels,"r'thellatt 12. In a ribbon-reversing mechanisnig upon said driving-shaft, shifter-arms'mol'ilt cupying notches in said shifter-arms, a;

arms uponsaid-rock-shafts and having po 9. Ina ribbon-reversing mechanism, the combination with .a' pair of ribbonspool shafts, of a transverse driving-shaft movable"- endwise into connection with either spool shaft, toothed wheels fixedupon said driving;

shaft, arms mounted loosely upon-sai spool-j shafts and frictionally connected theretoso? "as to be movable'thereby into engagement with said wheels, the latter by riding upon 1 said arms being caused to effect endwise j8o movements of said driving-shaft, a pair or? rock-shafts having latches to engage notches E in said arms, a pair of arms projecting from' said rock-shafts in position to beoperated, by obstructions placed upon the ribbon, springs for returning said rock-shaftsto'norf 1 mal position, and yielding means for detaining said driving-shaftat the extremes of its endwise movements. I

1.0; In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the 903 combination with a pair'of ribbon-spool shafts, of a transverse driving-shaft'inovable endwise to connect witheither spools. shaft, i wheels upon said drivingshaft,- shifter-arms frictionally connected with said, spool-shafts, means locking said arms, against rotation, and ribbon-controlled means for re; leasing said arms to permit--thein.to.; "ojv'e;

being capable of effectin furtherfrn'oveineiitfice of said driving-arms an constructed to. be}

forced by such further movement 'a,direcf tion to carry said driving-shaft endwise,-

11. In a ribbon-reversing m'echani'sm, M

combination with a pair .of' ribbon-spear@053 shafts, of a transverse drivin .-shaft movable to connect with either s 00 -shaft, wheels upon said driving-shaft, s ifter-arms mounted concentrically with said'spool-shafts and frictionally connected thereto,-latches lock-- iro .ing said shifter-arms against rotation,'. movable arms having eyes through which the rib bon is threaded, whereby obstructions placed upon the ribbon may move said. arms, and connections from said movable arms to said latches to enable the ribbon to releasefthe latter, to permit said shifter-arms to move into engagement with said wheels, the latter -j capableof effecting further movement of said 1 arms, and constructed to be forced by sjlph' 1.2a further movement in a directi'ori'to shift said, driving-shaft. 1 $5311 combination with a pair. of' ribbon'- shafts, of a transverse driving-shaft more toconnect with either spool-shaft,' 3whe ed upon said spool-shafts and frictionallyo nected thereto, latches locking sald shift arms against rotation in .eifhe1' d1l i' 1(i1fg3 rock-shafts upon which said latches are mounted, returningsprings for said rockshafts,'/ and arms mounted upon said rockshafts and extending into the path of the ribbon so as to be moved by the latter in a direc tion' to withdraw said latches, to permit said shifter-arms to be moved by said spool-shafts into engagement with said wheels, the latter said driving-shaft, apair of supports, a pair of normally idle interponents between said Wheels and saidsu ports, and means for enabling the longitu inal movement of the ribbon to move said interponents alternately intoengagement with said wheels; the latter constructed to both actuate and ride upon said interponents in a direction to shift said driving-shaft. l

14. In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the combination with a pair of ribbon spools, of a driving-shaft movable into connection with either of said spools, a (pair of interponents between said wheels an said supports, frictional devices operating at the longitudinal movements of the ribbon tending to move said interponents into engagement with said wheels, latches holding said interponents idle,

and latch-releases controlled by the longitudinal movement of the ribbon; said wheels constructed'to both actuate and ride upon said interponents in a direction toshift said driving-shaft.

15. In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the combination with a pair of ribbon-spool shafts, of a transverse driving-shaft movable endwise to connect with either spool-shaft, a yielding detent for holding said shaft at the limits of its endwise movements, toothed crown-wheels upon said driving-shaft, toothed shifter-arms frictionally connected with said spool-shafts, means holding said shifter-arms normally idle, and ribbon-controlled releases for said shifter-arms, the construction and arrangement being such that when released said shifter-arms swing into engagement with the teeth of said crown-wheels, and are thereupon continued in motion by the latter, and

the relation of the shifter-arms to the crownwh'eels being such that during the operation of the arms upon the wheels, the latter are forced axially together with said I driving shaft.

16. In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the combination withapair of ribbon-spool shafts, of a transverse driving-slnft mo able endwise to connect with either sp fiol-sh ft, a

yielding detent for holding said shaft atthe limits of its endwis' movements, toothed crown-wheels uponsaid driving-shaft,- toothed seams shifter-arms frictionally connected with said spool-shafts, means holding said shiftenarms normally idle, ribbon-controlled releases for said shifter-arms, the construction and arrangement being such that whenreleased said s'hifterarms swing into engagement with the teeth'of said crown-Wheels, and are thereupon continued in motion by the latter, and

the relation of the shifter-arms to, the crownwheels being such that during the operation of the arms upon the wheels, the latter are forced axially together with said drivingshaft; a crank upon said driving-shaft, and heels provided upon said shifter-arms to ride upon the teeth of said orown-wheels'to keep the teeth of the shifter-arms out of engagement with the crown-wheels, for the purpose specified.

17. In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the combination with a pair of ribbon-spool shafts, of a transverse driving-shaft movable endwise to connect witheither spool-shaft', a

yielding detent for holding said shaft at the limits of its endwise movements, toothed crown-wheels upon said drivingshaft, toothed shifter-arms frictionally connected with said spooleshafts, means holding said shifter-arms normally idle, ribbon-controlled releases for said shifter-arms,'the construction and arrangement being such that when released said shifter-arms swing into engagement with 1 the teeth of said crown-wheels, and are thereupon continued in motion by the'latter, and the relation of the shifter-arms to the crownwheels being such that during the operation of the arms upon the wheels, the latter are forced axially together with said drivingshaft a crank upon said drivingshaft, and heels provided uponsaid shifter-arms to ride upon the teeth of said crown-wheels to keep the teeth of the shifter-arms out of engagement with the crown-wheels, for the purpose specified; the construction and arrangement being such that when said wheels are in operation, said shifter-arms extend longitudinally of said driving-shaft, and serve to lock the latter against accidental shifting during the turning of said crank 18. In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the combination with a ribbon-spool, of a driving-shaft movable endwise to connect therewith, a toothed crown-wheel upon said driving-shaft, a normally idle shifter-arm, and

ICC

means controllable by a longtiudina'l movement of the ribbon for causing the shifterrarm to move into engagement with the teeth of said crown-Wheel and cooperate therewith to connectsaid driving-shaft with said spool.

' 19. In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the

combination with a ribbon-spool, of a driving-shaft therefor, a normally idle. shifter, means controllable through the movement of the ribbon for moving said shifterto effective position, a device mounted upon said driving-shaft to be engaged by said sh fter so as 1.5 21. In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the

combination with a ribbon-spool shaft, of a driving-shaft connectible thereto, a normally idle shifter-arm, a wheel mounted upon said driving-shaft in position to engage and turn said shifter-arm and simultaneously ride thereon in such a manner as to eflect relative shifting movement between said spool-shaft and said driving-shaft, and means controllable through the movements of the ribbon for effecting a movement of said shifter-arm into engagement with said Wheel.

In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the I m" nbination with a ribbon-s 001, of a driv- ,-shaft, a normally idle shi ter-arm having and said spool.

a tooth, a wheel mounted upon said drivingshaft and havin teeth to engage said armtooth and turn 1: e latter and thereby effect a relative shiftingmovement between said spool and said driving-shaft, means controllable through the movement of the ribbon for causing engagement between said wheel and said shifter-arm, and means for detaining said driving-shaft in connection Withsaid ribbon-spool.

23. In a ribbon-reversing mechanism, the combination with a ribbon-spool, of a driving-shaft, a wheel connected to said drivingshaft, an arm frictionally connected to said movement for holding said arm in idle position, said arm when released being movable during the ribbon movement into engagespool, means releasable through the ribbon 7 4s ment with said'wheel, and thelatter being constructed to ride in axial direction upon said arm while turning the latter, and means for enabling such'axial movement of the wheel to effect connection between said shaft WILLIAM F. HELM OND.

Witnesses:

Enw. J. MANNING, EDWIN C. SMITH. 

